Monday, October 24, 2016

With a diverse service
area roughly the size of Rhode Island, Hillsborough County provides a
great mix of urban, suburban and rural destinations for our riders.
Think about the destinations that you can see and experience with the
HART transportation network!

This week we highlight one of the nation's smallest light rail systems, the TECO Line Streetcar System. That's right, the Streetcar! The system follows all of the same standards and guidelines as all of the rest of the nation's light rail systems.

The TECO Line Streetcar is a 2.7 mile line connecting the employment, dining, and entertainment destinations in Ybor City, the Channel District (including Port of Tampa Bay and Channelside Bay Plaza,) and Downtown Tampa. The TECO Line Streetcar features
11 stations, each equipped with Ticket Vending Machines.

Streetcars actually have deep roots in Tampa's history. Tampa's first electric streetcar lines built in 1892 quickly
became an essential part of everyday life as workers took the streetcar
downtown and to the cigar factories of west Tampa. And families climbed aboard
for a picnic or ball game in DeSoto and Macfarlane parks. Reaching the peak of
its popularity in the 1920s with almost 24 million passengers in 1926, Tampa's
streetcar system rolled to a stop in August 1946 following World War II.

The Tampa Streetcar was reborn via a grassroots effort and on October 19, 2002, streetcars once again rumbled down the cobblestone streets of Ybor City.

Weekday service extended until midnight for Arena events!

Today, the Streetcar serves a number of entertainment and dining options. Here is just a sampling:

The Florida Aquarium

Amalie Arena (Weekday service extended until midnight for Arena events)

Tampa Convention Center

Centro Ybor

The Columbia Restaurant

Tampa Bay Brewing Company

District Tavern

The Tampa Riverwalk

Tampa Bay History Center

The Bricks Ybor

Port Tampa Bay

Visitors will also appreciate the access to hotels along the route:

Le Meridien

Hilton Tampa

Marriott Waterside

Embassy Suites by Hilton

Aloft Hotel

Sheraton Riverwalk

Hampton Inn & Suites - Ybor

Hilton Garden Inn Tampa

In September 2016, the TECO Line Streetcar System expanded weekday service (as a pilot) to begin operating at 7 a.m. With the launch of this pilot project, the Streetcar became a viable commuting option for those living and working along the line. The Streetcar serves a variety of employment centers in Downtown Tampa and Ybor City including:

One Tampa City Center

University of South Florida CAMLS

SunTrust Corporate Center

Ashley Furniture E-Commerce Facility

Amalie Arena

Tampa City Hall

Rivergate Tower

Bank of America Plaza

Hillsborough Community College - Ybor Campus

20-Ride Pass

Live or work along the streetcar line? Residents and workers can purchase a special 20-ride pass for only $25! That's 50% off the regular fare. Click here for a list of sales outlets.

Looking Ahead

Currently, the City of Tampa is working with the Florida Department of Transportation to study a possible extension and modernization of the streetcar line.

HART has
teamed up with FDOT to address
current mobility needs in Downtown Tampa

FDOT has indicated that up to $1 million in funding will be
available to fund an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Circulator Service connection
between Marion Transit Center (MTC) to Downtown Tampa along the low speed,
controlled access Marion Street Transitway. This project would be one of the
first of its kind in the U.S. utilizing autonomous technology and has the
potential to solve local transportation issues.

"FDOT is working together with our communities to
promote the use of autonomous technologies," FDOT District Seven Secretary
Paul Steinman said. "Our mission is to help solve the transportation needs
of our area utilizing all transportation modes, while maximizing the use of the
funding sources available. We are very excited about this project."

This funding gives HART the opportunity to take the first
step in a major technology project and, working with third party providers, to
bring Autonomous Vehicle Technology to the Tampa Bay region. For the next two
years, HART will receive $500,000 each year from FDOT to fund the project.
Funding for a third year will depend on the success of the program.

"We want to thank FDOT Secretary Paul Steinman for his
leadership in helping HART receive up to $1 million in funding from the Florida
Department of Transportation for this service," HART Chief Financial
Officer Jeff Seward said. "We will utilize our experience in multi-modal
solutions to work with our partners to provide much-needed relief to address
mobility needs in Downtown Tampa."

This project is part of a larger vision that HART has to
bring innovative technology to the Tampa Bay area while diversifying its array
of options to deliver service to the Tampa Bay region. Autonomous vehicles can
supplement the HART transit network with first-mile last-mile service, or
enhance options to underserved areas.

In late November, HART plans to conduct an Industry day for
interested parties, which will coincide with the fourth Annual Florida Automated Vehicles Summit in Downtown Tampa, an event dedicated to highlighting
Florida's progress in preparing for automated vehicles.

The Downtown Autonomous Circulator Service project will
complement local service provided by existing routes.HART is committed to innovative solutions to solve our region's transportation issues!